THE OCEAN IMPACT PITCHFEST 2020 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
After a six-week application period and a two-week shortlisting process, the Finalists of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 were revealed today. The twelve finalists were shortlisted from almost 200 applications received from 38 countries, with nearly 50% of the applications coming from Australia.
The Finalists are (in alphabetical order): ARC Marine (UK), Coral Vita (The Bahamas), ECOncrete Tech (Israel), Ingine (South Korea), Orbital EOS (Spain), Planet Protector Packaging (Australia), PumpFree Energy (Australia), SafetyNet Technologies (UK), SharkSafe Barrier (South Africa), Urchinomics (The Netherlands), Water Warriors (USA), and Wave Swell Energy (Australia).
Scroll to the bottom of this page to read all about the Finalists and watch their pitch videos.
For co-founders of Ocean Impact Organisation (OIO), Nick Chiarelli and Tim Silverwood, the Finalists highlight the immense challenges facing the ocean but also illustrate the vast opportunities that exist in creating a sustainable ocean economy, predicted to be worth $100bn to the Australian economy by 2025.
“We were blown-away by the quality, quantity, and breadth of applications,” said Chiarelli. “We knew there were many startups and businesses out there working to create a positive impact on the ocean but to receive almost 200 applications to our first major project is such an incredible result.”
“The results of Pitchfest 2020 and revealing these twelve Finalists is fantastic validation for Ocean Impact Organisation,” said Silverwood. “With almost 50% of applications coming from Australia we now know there are a multitude of brilliant businesses and entrepreneurs out there crying out for support to help them make their biggest impact in Australia and beyond.”
The Finalists, Runners Up and Winner of Pitchfest 2020 will share in over $175,000 of cash and support, including a $15,000 cash prize from Pitchfest Partner Bank Australia going to the Winner.
The Finalists will now be assessed by an impressive multidisciplinary panel of expert judges according to various criteria including: potential for ocean impact, level of innovation, market fit, competitive advantage, a great team, strength of business plan, and a great pitch video. The Pitchfest Winner will receive a $15,000 cash prize provided by major event partner Bank Australia, as well as an OIO Support Package worth over $50,000.
Ocean Impact Organisation aims to establish Australia as a world leader in ocean solutions and drive significant investment into ocean impact ventures within the next five years.
The Winner of Pitchfest 2020 will be announced on 4th November 2020.
the finalists
ARC MARINE
Location: Exeter, United Kingdom
Ocean Impact Themes: Ocean Health, New Frontiers
Website: www.arcmarine.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arc-marine-ltd/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcmarine/
About: ARC Marine Ltd. have developed patented, carbon-neutral Reef Cubes that can be used to restore and rehabilitate reef ecosystems. Utilising virtual reality, 3D and biotechnologies, ARC Marine are disrupting the offshore construction industries with their award-winning patented product Reef Cubes®, by accelerating reef creation through its nature inclusive design. Specialising in design, manufacturing and monitoring of low carbon and plastic free reef structures, ARC Marine’s eco-friendly structures are intended to be deployed forever, saving decommissioning costs and reducing volumes to landfill.
Did you know?: offshore developments such as wind turbines and undersea pipelines require a range of sub sea structures to minimise and prevent damage to benthic ecosystems (eg scouring). At the end of a project’s lifetime these sub sea structures are required to be removed - a costly and damaging process. ARC Marine have created carbon-neutral structures that are far superior to existing alternatives and can remain in place at the end of a project’s life, saving significant remediation costs, and creating artificial habitat and protection for marine biodiversity.
coral vita
Location: Freeport, The Bahamas
Ocean Impact Themes: Ocean Health, Inspiration and Leisure
Website: www.coralvita.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coral-vita-reefs/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coralvitareefs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoralVitaReefs
About: Coral Vita grows diverse and resilient corals by utilising high-tech land-based farms that integrate microfragmenting methods for accelerating coral growth up to 50x as well as assisted evolution methods to enhance the corals resiliency to warming and acidifying oceans. Coral Vita sells “reef restoration as a service” to customers that depend on the benefit of healthy reefs’ such as tourism operators and hotel operators. In addition Coral Vita’s coral farms also function as eco-tourism attractions and education centres.
Did you know?: the identification and large-scale propagation/ planting of corals resilient to the impacts of climate change is seen as a critical tool in efforts to protect and restore coral reefs around the world.
ECOncrete tech
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Ocean Impact Themes: Ocean Health, New Frontiers
Website: www.econcretetech.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/econcrete/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/econcrete_tech/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ECOncreteTech
About: ECOncrete Tech offers a suite of high-performance environmentally sensitive concrete solutions that enhance the biological and ecological value of urban, coastal, and marine infrastructure while increasing their strength and durability. ECOncrete, uses a patented system combining bio-enhancing concrete admix, concrete surface modifiers, and high-performance moulds to enhance marine life while adding strength and durability to the concrete infrastructure. In addition to the ecological and biological advantages, ECOncrete’s technology also creates an active carbon sink through the growth of calcifying organisms that thrive on the structures.
Did you know?: The industrialisation and development of coastlines around the world has led to a drastic reduction in important shoreline habitat. By developing artificial habitat using bio-enhancing concrete ECOncrete can both restore habitat and protect coastlines from the increasing impacts of climate change.
INGINE
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Energy
Website: www.ingine.co.kr/en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ingine-lnc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingine.inc/
About: INGINE’s mission is to harness wave power to supply clean, sustainable and affordable energy to remote island and coastal communities. INWaveTM, INGINE’s Wave Energy Converter (WEC) technology, is an innovative method of generating power using the whole range of wave movements, enabling its application even in shallow waters where conventional/existing technologies otherwise have difficulties. INGINE target customers range from off-grid communities in remote islands to city-dwellers of coastal towns, and contribute to energy security and independence, fossil fuel pollution reduction, and boost local economic development.
Did you know?: Offshore renewable energy is regarded as a major challenge due to the violent and unpredictable characteristics of the open ocean. INGINE use a novel approach to creating ocean energy through a system that remains attached to land. This approach to energy generation has diverse applications for remote projects and island communities.
ORBITAL EOS
Location: Valencia, Spain
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Health
Website: https://www.orbitaleos.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbitaleos/
About: Orbital EOS provides satellite-based solutions to challenges in the maritime domain, like oil spill detection, environmental performance monitoring and coastal erosion. Using artificial intelligence and high-end ocean modelling, Orbital EOS reduces the cost of monitoring by a factor of 10 while increasing the surveillance capacity by a factor of 100. One of the primary use cases for the Orbital EOS technology (EOS Viewer) is for oil spill monitoring. EOS Viewer leverages a network of radar and optical earth observation satellites, resulting in cost-efficient surveillance of assets, even at remote locations.
Did you know?: Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water-repelling abilities of a bird's feathers, exposing them to the harsh elements. Many birds and animals also swallow oil and are poisoned when they try to clean themselves or when eating oiled prey. One of the largest oil spill disasters in history was the BP Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Aside from the devastating environmental impact and the knock on impact to coastal industries and livelihoods, the incident cost BP over USD$60Bil in court fees, penalties and cleanup costs.
PLANET PROTECTOR PACKAGING
Location: Sydney, Australia
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Health
Website: www.planetprotectorpackaging.com/woolpack/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planet-protector-packaging/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planetprotectorpackaging/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlanetProtectorPackaging/
About: Planet Protector Packaging produces and distributes sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable and compostable insulated packaging made from sheep wool waste. The product is called Woolpack, a circular economy solution to replacing harmful expanded polystyrene (EPS). Woolpack is used for the transportation of temperature sensitive food, products and pharmaceuticals. Woolpack comes in a variety of sector-specific cartons and pouches such as Seafood Protector, Pharma Protector and Wine Protector.
Did you know?: Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is non-biodegradable and made from non-renewable fossil fuels. It is one of the worst types of plastic pollution - taking over 500 years to decompose. EPS breaks down into micro-beads (microplastics) which escape into waterways where they are ingested by animals, create toxicity and digestion problems, and move up the food chain where they are a threat to human health. EPS is rarely recycled due to its low commercial value.
PumpFree Energy
Location: Sydney, Australia
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Health
Website: www.pumpfree.com.au
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pumpfree-energy/
About: PumpFree Energy is a clean-tech company that cleans oil from water and turns waste from commercial kitchens into renewable sources of energy. Through world-first innovative technology, PumpFree reduces the amounts of Fats, Oils, and Greases (FOG) going to sewer from commercial kitchens in restaurants, pubs, hotels, and shopping centres. The FOG collected is then sold and processed into biofuels. Creating a circular economy by producing a resource out of a waste that would otherwise damage our ocean, reducing pollution and mitigating CO2 emissions.
Did you know: Sydney still has waste treatment plants that discharge several thousand tonnes of FOG and suspended solids (SS) into the ocean. PumpFree Energy technology has been independently measured to reduce SS by up to 65% and reduce the amount of FOG going to sewer by up to 75%.
On average each person produces 8kgs of grease per year
1 litre of oil can contaminate up to 1 million litres of ocean water
SAFETYNET TECHNOLOGIES
Location: London, United Kingdom
Ocean Impact Themes: Ocean Health, Ocean Harvesting
Website: www.sntech.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/safetynet-uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sntechuk/
About: SafetyNet Technologies designs and builds solutions that enable sustainable practices in the fishing industry. SafetyNet’s work enables “precision fishing”, underpinning a sustainable fishing sector that can supply the food and financial needs of a growing global population, in balance with a thriving ocean.
SafetyNet’s flagship product is Pisces, a simple to use, affordable, LED (light emitting diode) device that retrofits onto any existing fishing net. It helps fishermen attract the size and species of fish they’re licensed to catch, while repelling non-target species. SafetyNet claims that Pisces can reduce bycatch by up to 90%.
Did you know?: Different species of fish react to different types of light in unique ways. This technology prevents the unintended capture of non-target species. It’s estimated that up to 40% of total fish catch worldwide is unintentionally caught bycatch. According to WWF this includes (annually):
300,000 small whales and dolphins
250,000 endangered loggerhead turtles and critically endangered leatherback turtles
300,000 seabirds, and
billions of fish.
Sharksafe barrier pty ltd
Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Health
Website: https://www.sharksafesolution.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharksafe-barriers-rf-/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharksafebarrier/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sharksafebarrier
About: SharkSafe Barrier’s mission is to provide the tools for an environmentally friendly coexistence between sharks and humans that will resolve the shark-human conflict problem. SharkSafe Barrier provides a novel and sustainable solution to shark and human protection through effective, shark-specific and nature inspired technology. Using a patented technology that incorporates a magnetic field with a kelp-forest mimicking structure, sharks are deterred without affecting other ocean fauna.
Did you know?: In contrast to exclusion net technologies similar to those used in Queensland and NSW, Australia, SharkSafe Barrier is scientifically proven to deter both Bull Sharks and Great White Sharks, requires minimal maintenance, and in addition, the infrastructure over time becomes an artificial reef protecting marine life and enhancing biomass.
URCHINOMICS
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ocean Impact Themes: Ocean Harvesting, Ocean Health
Website: https://www.urchinomics.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/urchinomics/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urchinomics/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Urchinomics-1696438813735683
About: Uncontrolled quantities of sea urchins overgraze kelp forests and seagrass meadows, turning once pristine and vibrant, carbon sequestering marine ecosystems into lifeless, barren deserts, or "Urchin barrens". Urchinomics is a restorative aquaculture venture that aims to turn this environmental challenge into a commercial, ecological and social opportunity. Due to a combination of overfishing of predatory species, climate change and pollution, sea urchin populations have exploded, causing catastrophic imbalances in coastal ecosystems around the world. Urchinomics target these sea urchins and re-home them into their proprietary aquaculture ranching systems where they are fed a natural, formulated feed for 5 to 10 weeks to produce high quality urchin roe (uni) ready for sale to high end restaurants around the world.
Did you know?: Once the kelp in an area has been decimated urchins are mostly devoid of food. These urchins then starve and become empty shells that barely survive. Empty sea urchins have no nutritional value so predatory species avoid eating them. Urchin fishers have no incentive to fish them either, as they have no commercial value (no roe). Without any predatory pressure, urchin barrens can persist for decades or even centuries. But, once a significant number of the empty sea urchins are removed from the urchin barrens, kelp forests can quickly recover, having enormous positive impacts on the amount of local biomass and allowing for significant carbon sequestration via kelp and other species.
WATER WARRIORS
Location: Lexington, USA
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Health
Website: www.waterwarriorsinc.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/waterwarriors/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waterwarriorsinc/
About: Water Warriors Inc. offers a circular economy solution to phosphorus and nitrogen pollution. Their flagship product, Poseidon Pellets, absorb phosphorus and ammonia on contact, improving water quality and reducing toxic algae blooms. Once the pellets reach nutrient capacity, they can be used as fertilizer, returning the phosphorus to the land and reducing reliance on unsustainable sources of fertilizer. The two primary markets for Waste Warriors are currently farmers (addressing agricultural runoff) and wastewater treatment plants.
Did you know?: Phosphorus is among the world’s most important chemical elements, and it benefits us in a staggering number of ways. Most phosphorus production is in concentrated phosphoric acids for agriculture fertilizers. But high levels of phosphorus from agricultural runoff causes algae to grow at a remarkable rate, which harms water quality and natural habitats, turning an important water source into an algae-choked deadzone (a process called eutrophication) which has a range of environmental and economic impacts on our oceans. Agricultural runoff from farms is a major threat to the health of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
WAVE SWELL ENERGY
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Ocean Impact Theme: Ocean Energy, Ocean Health
Website: www.waveswell.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wave-swell-energy/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waveswellenergy/
About: Wave Swell Energy (WSE) is an innovative renewable energy technology company that utilises a unique unidirectional Oscillating Water Column technology to generate electricity. The Oscillating Water Column is a form of artificial blowhole, with a large opening underneath the structure and a small opening to the atmosphere above the water, resulting in a rising and falling of the water level inside the chamber as each wave passes. This oscillatory motion of the water displaces the air, thereby driving a turbine and generating electricity. The technology has several applications in addition to conventional energy generation, including displacing diesel in remote island locations, producing hydrogen, producing desalinated water and acting as a form of protection against coastal erosion.
Did you know?: Wave Swell Energy has been awarded a $4 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to develop a demonstration project on King Island in Bass Strait in collaboration with Hydro Tasmania.
